


By Definition

by Fallen_Ark_Angel



Series: Remember Me [30]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 16:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4631931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallen_Ark_Angel/pseuds/Fallen_Ark_Angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Erza is reminded that families come in all shapes and sizes and Jellal learns how expensive children are. Even when you only see them once a year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Definition

  


"I…can't…breathe."

"Good," Erza said as the little boy fell onto the ground in front of the guildhall, panting heavily. "That is your body's way of strengthening itself."

"I don't," the collapsed boy's brother said as he came to a stop too, breathing heavily as well as he leaned over, "think that's how it works."

The swordswoman was not nearly as winded and only frowned at the two brothers. "We have gone on these jogs for weeks now and yet you both continue to tire extremely easily."

"Jogs?" the younger gasped as he laid on the ground. "That was a jog?"

"More or less."

"Less," the older told her. "A lot less."

Scoffing, Erza said, "Arise. We are at the hall now. Go wash up in the bathhouse and then I will order you both some breakfast."

The older one, Ravan, headed through the gates immediately, but the younger only laid there. And, with a sigh, Erza reached down to grab him by the back of his shirt and pick him up, dangling him in the air.

"Hi, Kai," came a call from one of the tables the second she walked into the guildhall, still carrying him along. It came from the Master's table though it wasn't the man that spoke. No, it was Master Laxus' daughter, Marin, that was with him who did. She even waved.

"I'm dying," he told her.

"Oh." That got a giggle. "Can you play after you're done?"

"I think so."

Erza just continued on though, ignoring that as she hauled the boy off to the bathhouse area of the guild, dropping him in front of the male section.

"In you go." She shoved him through the door. "And scrub. Please. Don't just soak."

"If I have to."

Done with the two boys for the moment, Erza headed back to the bar area to have a drink before they got back to her. Though she would admit at times the two of them were entertaining, the past few days had been rough. Ravan, the older of the two, had a massive problem with being, well, a colossal pain. Nothing was ever alright with him. Even when she was caving to one of his demands, he wasn't satisfied. He always wanted more. Always.

And the younger, Kai, well he was just plain annoying. He whined about everything, had a terrible habit of biting his nails only to spit them out around her house, and, worst of all, for some reason he just couldn't leave her alone. At all. Not for a minute. He constantly wanted to know what she was doing, if she was going somewhere, if she was how long she was going to be, could he come too, ect. The list went on and on. She knew, of course, that part of that stemmed from the fact that she was much nicer to him than his older brother was mixed with perhaps a bit of the deaths of his parents still lingering fresh in his mind.

Not that she was taking their place, of course. At all. She did not…parent the boys. She was not a mother towards them. At all. To the elder she was a mentor. A master. And to the younger, a playmate, mostly. Or at least someone to bother. That was all.

Or at least that's what she told herself.

But as the months were quickly approaching a year, she couldn't help, but to admit that she was a tad attached to them. They did bring some diversity to her life. As they aged, most of her friends and guild members had forged on with their lives, most having married off and begun families of their own. That was not something she'd found herself doing (and considering her current situation, more than likely never would be) and, well, the boys honest gave her at least a taste of what that would be like.

Erza couldn't count how many times she broke up a fight between the brothers about the most simple of things. From that one was breathing too loud and it annoys the other to that the older wanted to go somewhere and it wasn't' fair that he had to always take his brother. It was just constant bickering. Who was going to do the dishes, who trashed their shared bedroom, who ate those cookies Erza was hiding (though more than once that turned out to be both of them). It was maddening.

Was that what it was like to have a sibling? If so, she was sorry for both of them.

And dealing with those weren't even the worst of her duties as their surrogate caretaker. No. She also got stuck building a garden in the backyard for the younger one (long story), constantly having to make sure that the older didn't steal one of her weapons and attack the oldest Dreyar girl (shorter story), and spending a massive amount of jewels on them. They needed clothes and food and toys (maybe not need on that one, but she had a hard time telling them no when they went to the market) and, shockingly enough, the older one was quite an avid reader. Of comic books, which were not as cheap as she remembered when she was young, but it was still something.

That wasn't even adding in all the time spent doing their laundry, tracking them down when they got home late, and making them meal after meal. The comforting the younger when he had a bad dream or giving severe warnings to the older when he tried to harm the Master's oldest daughter (honest, if the two didn't end up killing one another one day, she would be shocked). Not to mention just the time sitting around the house, spending hours with them doing nothing. Hanging out, as Kai put it.

In that short year, her life had been turned completely upside down. And though at times she found it hard to say it was for the better, she could never deny one simple fact. It did, above all else, keep her distracted.

The guild helped with that, of course, as it always did. Her life was constantly filled with some sort of adventure. The boys were no exception. They were an adventure themselves, really. Just a constant one that gave her little downtime. Which also gave her limited time to spend thinking about Jellal.

The two of them had a system. One that benefited and disadvantaged them both in some ways. She got to go on with her life as one of the top wizards in Fairy Tail without marring her reputation with his presence and he got to continue on his quest for redemption and the destruction of evil. Very rarely though, he would be able to stop in to Magnolia, if only for a night or two, and they could spend some time together. Never enough, but it was something. And given the circumstances, she wasn't sure she could really ask for more.

The time that she was counting with the boys though, also had a double meaning. Because if it had almost been a year of housing the two of them, then it had also been nearly a year since she'd last seen the man. Which, really, wasn't that long for the two of them. It was standard, almost. Anything less and they would both consider themselves as being selfish. Still, it did not make the months between any less harsh.

She was still skulking about the whole thing when the boys finished with their baths and came to join her. Err, Ravan came to join her. Kai went right over to the Master's table, as if it was nothing, and claimed his seat right next to Marin. Laxus only rolled his eyes at the sight though and seemingly let it slide.

That left Erza though alone with Ravan who, for some reason, couldn't stop staring at her.

"What?" she complained with a frown.

He only shrugged though. "I'm not doing anything."

"You keep…looking at me."

"No, I'm not."

"Ravan-"

"I'm not!"

"Don't you have friends or something to sit with?"

"Don't you?"

"Ravan-"

"What's wrong with you?" he complained. "You were fine before. Now you're being all-"

"I am just thinking," she told him. "And it is hard to do when you continually stare at me."

Narrowing his eyes at her, he said, "Thinking about what?"

"Nothing too important," she answered coolly. "Why? Is there something that I should be thinking about?"

"I don't know. Is there?"

That was another thing that Erza dealt with constantly when it came to the boys. The distrust. Between her and Ravan, at least. They were constantly suspicious of one another (with good reason she felt, on her part at least).

For a moment or two, they had an intense staring contest going. It was broken up, however, by a flying biscuit coming to hit Ravan in the back of the head. That, of course, was the courtesy of one of the three children seated at a table not far off.

Ravan whipped his head around, glaring over at where they sat. It was Haven, the Master's oldest, and her two friends, Navi and Locke. The two girls were looking his way, Navi giggling and Haven looking smug, as Locke just grumbled about how that was his biscuit and one of them better be buying him another.

"You big idiots!" He jumped up at that, headed over to go yell at them. Or fight them. Or fight Haven. Yeah, probably just fight Haven. "What's your problem?"

Erza only sighed though as she was left alone once more. She thought that she was going to have to buy the two of them breakfast, but with them both preoccupied, she figured she could make her escape then and, at the very least, have the morning to herself.

She was about to get to her feet when, just like that, Mirajane appeared at her table, a smile on her face, poised to say something. Erza, however, only held up a hand.

"I have no need for anything, Mira," she said, starting to get to her feet. "I was just leaving."

"Oh, no," Mira said quickly, holding her own hands out then, as if to will the woman to sit still. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Well, I'm not sure how important this is to you anymore," the barmaid said slowly, "as you've stopped checking in with me about it-"

"Yes? What is it?"

Pausing, Mira said slowly, "It's about the male dormitory. A room has opened up. And has stayed available. Laxus isn't taking in new members and, well, that means that the room will probably stay vacant." When Erza didn't say anything, she added, "And, if you want, I can offer it to Ravan and Kai. He's taking jobs now, Ravan is, and making his own money. I'm sure he could afford it. And if not, well, I could make it to where he could, anyhow."

Slowly, Erza nodded. "That was the plan all along, yes."

"I would have told you sooner, but you stopped asking about it and it sorta slipped my mind. I've just gotten so used to them living with you-"

"As have I."

It was Mira's turn to nod. "W-Well, if you'd like, I suppose I could just not mention it to the boys. I figured I should go through you first and see what you-"

"I will speak with them on it," Erza said then. "And if they wish to go, it will be up to them. Knowing Ravan the way I do, I have a feeling that will be the most likely outcome."

Smiling then, Mirajane said, "It'll probably be better for you, huh? To not have them constantly under your feet?"

"Yes," the reequip mage agreed softy. "I suppose it will."

"And it'll be so much fun for them, living in the dormitory," she went on. "I'm sure it'll be good for them as well. You know, to be around some guys?"

"I suppose."

"Not that you haven't been good for them. I just mean-"

"I understand." Erza smiled for her then. "It will be very nice to have my house back to being just mine."

"I'd bet." Mira's eyes drifted then, over to where Haven and Ravan were arguing and had to giggle a little. "A complete headache just gone, huh?"

Erza's eyes, however, fell on where Kai was seated with the Master and his youngest daughter, loudly explaining to her, once more, how great he was at fishing as she listened and Laxus, well, more or less looked ready to blow his own brains out.

"Yes," she agreed. "That's an excellent way of putting it."

Following the other woman's gaze, Mira frowned at the her husband's expression and went to save him from his boredom. That consisted of telling both Kai and Marin that the man had work, sending the two kids off. It also, however, gave her an excuse to sit down with Laxus which he seemed to enjoy a lot more, even grinning a little.

Not that the woman had long to focus on that. Without Laxus to speak with (agitate), Kai set his sights right back on his favorite person in the whole guild.

"Hi, Erza!" He clambered quickly into a seat across from her, completely destroying her chance of a safe escape. "Did you miss me?"

"Kai," Marin giggled, sitting down right next to her. "She just saw you."

"Yeah, I know."

To him, it was still a very valid question. After all, he had missed her.

Staring across the table at the two children, Erza thought for a moment before saying, "You seem to be in higher spirits, Kai."

He nodded as he said, "I bathed. Wanna smell?"

When he held up his arms, Marin took to giggling though Erza only rolled her eyes.

"No," she told him. "Just like I don't any other time you ask that."

"Well, okay." Slowly, he lowered his arms. "What's wrong, Erza?"

"Hmmm?"

Staring at her, he said, "You don't seem very happy."

She smiled then, though neither he nor Marin were fooled much by it. "I'm fine. Why would you think otherwise?"

"I dunno." Shrugging, he glanced around before frowning and reaching down, under the table. "Say, who dropped a perfectly good biscuit?"

"Kai, don't eat that!" Erza hissed as Marin covered her mouth in disgust. "It was on the ground."

"So?" He only shrugged. "Vegetables come from the ground, but you make me eat those."

Marin let her hands fall. "You got a point."

Nodding, he told her, "A lot of Erza's rules don't make sense besides just that one."

The swordswoman let her faked smile fall back into a frown. "Such as?"

Not one for reading tones, Kai thought they were just having a normal conversation and, still very much so munching on his newfound treat, he said, "For starters, this chores thing don't make much sense."

"Oh really?" Her gaze was darkening. "Do tell."

"Well, how come I gotta clean up my dirty clothes? If, after I wear them, they're just gonna get dirty again. And why even wash clothes? If they constantly get dirty? Same with baths. I'm just gonna get dirty again next week, Erza."

Marin frowned. "You only bathe once a week?"

"Kai, I told you that was to be a nightly thing," Titania told him with a glare. "At least. As much as you play in the dirt and mud-"

"I try to make it one," he complained. "But it just wastes so much time."

"What do you do then? When I tell you to go take a bath? If you're only doing so once a week?"

"I can find many things to do with that hour," he told her. "And you don't ever smell me, so you never know when I do or not."

"Kai-"

Wanting to continue on with his list then, he just did.

"And about this not eating too many sweets thing," he kept up. "How come you get to eat so many?"

"Because I exercise more than you."

"I just ran around all the whole town and I can't even eat a whole cake? What's the point then? Oh, and by the way, I didn't check to make sure nothin' was comin' when I crossed the street yesterday. I'm okay."

"Surely see the probability in that."

"I don't even know what probability is," he told her with an air of arrogance. Which was odd, considering he was basically stating his incompetence. "Marin, have I mentioned yet that playing with the cool weapons she leaves around the house has yet to hurt me?"

"No."

"Then I want to. Erza, playing with the cool-"

"I don't want to deal with this right now." Getting to her feet, she only walked around to the other side of the table and grabbed Kai by the ear, dragging him off.

"Ow!"

When Marin started to follow, Erza shook her head.

"Kai can't play for the time being, Marin," she told her simply before looking over at where his older brother had Haven in a headlock. "Ravan! We're leaving."

He threw Haven away from him, which resulted in getting a small bolt of electricity (Haven's magic) shot at him.

"Maybe I don't want to leave."

" _Now_."

Locke glanced over there then and, seeing his biscuit in Kai's hand (he always covered his in chocolate, something the others thought was gross), he frowned. "You know that hit your brother's head, right?"

"What? Ew! Gross." That got dropped right back on the floor.

Frowning, Erza looked down at him. "You will eat off the floor, but because it touched Ravan-"

"Vegetables don't grow out of Ravan's head, Erza!"

With a growl, Ravan headed after them. "How come I gotta go? Just because he's in trouble?"

"He's not in trouble."

"I'm not?" Kai sounded hopeful. He was rewarded with another tug of the ear. "Ow!"

"Be quiet."

"Where are we going?" Ravan asked. "Can I know that at least?"

"Back to my home. There is something that we must discuss."

"Are you dying?"

That got Kai another tug of the ear.

"It's a fair question!"

"No," she said before telling them both, "Just be quiet. I believe that this is something you will enjoy hearing. Especially you, Ravan."

Well, with something like that on the horizon…

Erza didn't drag Kai the whole way there. Eventually she did let him go, though he only grumbled about his ear and rubbed at it the rest of the way home.

It had hurt, after all.

At the house, Erza led them right to the kitchen, where she took a seat at the table. Kai went to get a glass of water first, as well as a cookie (he deserved it, she still hadn't fed him) before joining her. Ravan though, only stood there, eyes alight.

"What did you get me?" he asked excitedly. Erza had, on more than one occasion, rewarded him with new weaponry, as he was trying to practice the same magic as her. His favorite was an elaborate sword and, well, if he got another one of those, he might just be willing to not attack to the Dreyar girl for a week or two.

Maybe.

"I did not get you anything," she said before nodding at his usual chair. Slowly, and with a lot less excitement, the boy took a seat. "Instead, I have something to tell you."

"What?" Ravan grumbled as Kai paid more attention to his cookie. Their last big discussion had resulted in bunk beds, after all. "Did Kai do something?"

"No!" His brother glared before glancing at Erza. "Did I?"

"If you would just be quiet, I could tell you," she told them. "And no, you did not."

"See, Ravan? Told you."

"It has more to do with the guildhall than anything else," she said then. "Or, well, I guess the guild in general."

"What?" Ravan was honestly staring at her then, curious.

"The two of you staying here with me was always supposed to be temporary," she began, more to remind herself than anything else. "Until the dormitory freed up a room for you. And, as it stands now, there is one which Mirajane has assured me will be very affordable, Ravan, so-"

"You're kicking us out?" he asked with a frown.

"What?" Kai glanced up at that. All he'd heard was Erza rambling. When did she say that she was kicking them out? "Why? What did we do?"

"Nothing," she told them. "And I am not. It is just… It was always meant to be this way and-"

"Fine!" Ravan jumped up. "If you don't want us, great. We don't want you either!"

"I never said I-"

Kai just stared at her. "Is it because I ate off the floor?"

"What? No. I-"

"Or because I used one of your books to color in?"

"N- You color in my books?"

"Well, I can't read them!"

Ravan, though he was still glaring at Erza, said, "You're more than old enough to read, idiot."

"It's not my fault I don't know how!"

Taking in a breath, Erza said, "This is not meant as punishment. I grew up in the dormitory, with my peers, and it did wonders for my development. I-"

"Yeah, so developed," Ravan grumbled. "You still think that cake is a food group."

"That's enough."

It was about then that Kai's tears started. "I'm sorry that I don't follow your rules, Erza! Don't make us leave!"

"I'm not," she insisted. "I only-"

His tears continued to flow. "I like it here. Do you not like us here?"

"I do, but-"

"Stop it." Ravan glared at his brother then. "You're being a big baby."

"No!"

"Don't cry over Erza. We don't even like her."

"I do!"

"No," he growled, going to pull the boy out of his chair. "You don't."

"Leave him alone, Ravan."

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" He glared over at her. "And Kai, knock it off."

"No!" He started hiccupping, he was crying so hard. "I don't wanna go! I wanna stay!"

"You can," Erza said. "I only-"

"No!" Ravan growled. "We don't want to!"

"I do!"

"Shut up, Kai."

"No!"

"If you would both just listen," Erza tried. "I could-"

And she stopped talking as, suddenly, she seemed a presence. Her focus was immediately off her little charges and onto the backdoor. When it opened, she found that her assumption had been correct.

"Jellal."

The man just stood there too, in the doorway to the kitchen, a cloth pulled up high on his face and a knit cap pulled down low on his head. Still, she was able almost immediately to lock eyes with the man.

And Kai, though the last time he'd been around the man was a year ago and he'd only known him for a week at that point, rushed right over to him.

"What is going on?" Jellal asked in confusion as Ravan glared just as heavily at him. "Erza-"

"She's tryin' to make us leave!" Kai cried loudly, rubbing at his eyes. "And I don't wanna."

"Kai, I didn't mean that you had to leave," Erza tried as she got to her feet. The appearance of the man had thrown her off. Still though, the boy's sobs took precedence in her mind for some reason. "I honestly hadn't even thought about it in a long time. It was Mirajane that came to me and suggested it. She told me of how the dormitory is free and I knew that your brother would want to go. If you do not, that's fine. Honestly. Do you really think I would send you away?"

He was still crying, but slowly it was becoming only sniffles. Glancing over at her, he got out, "No."

"Alright then. So stop crying. You are getting too old for something like that."

Jellal only blinked then, still trying to process what was going on. "This…was not at all what I was expecting to stumble upon."

Ravan was still glaring at Erza. "Of course he's coming with me! He can't stay here. He doesn't want to."

"Ravan," Erza groaned, but it was Kai that glared over at him.

"You're not goin' anywhere either," the boy sniffled.

"Yes, I am. I-"

"No."

"She doesn't want us, idiot."

"Yes, she does!" Wiping at his eyes then, Kai said, "We're family."

That made them all blink. Even Jellal who, though he had thought there was a chance that the boys were there, hadn't had any real confirmation of it. Apparently he was on the possible tail end of their stay there though.

"No," Ravan hissed at him. "We're not. At all."

"Yes, we are," he insisted, glaring over at his older brother. "Fairy Tail is a family, huh? And we're all a part of it. And family just means that you care about each other and like being around one another and that you look out for everyone. And I care about Erza and I like being around her and she looks out for me. A lot. And you too. So stop being so stupid, Ravan."

"She doesn't want us here, you idiot! She-"

"She wants me." Kai looked over at Erza then, eyes still puffy. "Don't you?"

"Of course."

Still, Ravan wasn't giving in. "It doesn't matter. We're leaving. I'm going to get us the dorm room and-"

"I don't want to."

"Yes, you do!"

"No."

"Kai-"

"Ravan-"

"Enough." Erza's attention was completely off Jellal and mostly done with Kai then as she glared over at Ravan. "I never said that I didn't want you. This is what I thought you wanted."

"It is."

"Fine. Then go. But you will not force your brother to go just because you are in one of your moods."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"Yes," she hissed. "I can."

"You-"

"Not to be a bother here," Jellal said slowly as, after patting Kai on the head with his free hand, he moved to drop his duffle bag on the ground, "but-"

"Not," Erza growled, "now."

"He's my brother," Ravan kept up. "And he's not your anything. You aren't his keeper."

"Oh? And you are?" Going over to the boy, she glared down at him as she said, "You do not have to be defensive with this, Ravan. If you wish to go, then you may. But if you do not, then I want you to stay. Of course I want you to stay. You and your brother have made me very happy these past few months."

Kai, through his sniffles, whispered, "We have?"

"Yes." She didn't glance over at him though. "You have. And I would much rather you stay here."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said, Ravan," she told him. "And I also know what I meant. There would be many benefits to you staying in the dormitory, but at the same time, I think that you are just as well here. And if my words made you feel unwelcome then…I'm sorry."

Ravan was still staring up at her then, but his dark eyes weren't locked in a glare any longer. He was more or less just staring. And, slowly, his gaze fell to the ground.

"I'd have to take more jobs," he said slowly. "To make more money. And someone would have to watch Kai. Else he'd get lost all by himself. He's only just learned where your house is, after all."

"And only sorta," the younger boy chimed in. "Directions are hard."

"Then, for the time being, you will stay," Erza decided, nodding at Ravan.

"Until I start making more money," he was quick to say. "And Kai stops being such a baby."

"I'm not a baby!"

"Perhaps I can ease some of the tension in the room, yes?" Jellal was bending down then, to his duffle bag. "I thought that perhaps you boys would be here and, in preparation, I bought gifts."

"Really?" Kai was all done being upset then. "You did?"

Ravan only turned up his nose. "Why would you do that?"

For once, Erza agreed. "Yes. Why?"

"I cannot be too sure," he admitted as Kai crowded him, excitement clear in his face. "But when I would pass a market and thought of them, I would pick them something up. There's not much else for me to spend my jewels on."

"The few jewels you have, you mean?" Erza asked. "That should be spent on food and shelter and your team and-"

"You got me more than one thing?" Kai was in shock. "Really?"

With a nod, Jellal told him, "I was not sure exactly what kinds of things either of you would like, so you may both pick. I have a stuffed animal here-"

"We're not babies," Ravan grumbled.

Kai snatched it when Jellal pulled it out. "Wow!"

"-as well as some action figures, a few toy cars, and a comic or two."

Ravan, slowly, came over. "I guess I could look at some of the stuff. Just so Kai doesn't start to get too spoiled or whatever."

After he'd passed the toys off on the two boys, they ran from the room to go look over the loot as Erza only came closer to the man. When he got to his feet, she immediately moved to hug him.

"They are your family now?" Jellal asked as she reached up to pull that cap from his head before moving to tug the cloth around his mouth down.

"By definition," she told him before he moved to kiss her.

"And what," he asked as he pulled back again to grin at her, "would that make me?"

"A nuisance."

"Hmmm. Just like always."

"Just like always," she agreed softly. "Let's-"

"Ew, gross. Are you guys gonna do that the whole time you're here?"

And Ravan was back, one of his new comics in hand, as he went over to the fridge to raid it. He still hadn't gotten his breakfast, after all.

"Perhaps the dorm is a good place for them," Jellal grumbled as the boy didn't try in the least to give them any privacy.

Erza only sighed before saying, "I'm sure I can get them sent back down to the guildhall. And soon."

"Hey, Robbie."

And Kai was back too, rushing over to the two of them with his arms overloaded with his new toys.

"Wanna play with me?" he asked, tilting his head back to stare at the man. "Or do you just wanna hug on Erza? 'cause that's fine too, I guess, but- Oh! Hey! You wanna go look at my garden? I have one of those now. And I learned some Plant Magic. Isn't that cool? And-"

"Come on, Kai." Ravan, finding nothing of interest in the fridge, went to go grab the boy and pull him along. "Let's go back to the guild and find something to eat."

"But what about-"

"Do you not wanna go eat?"

Well, when he put it that way…

"We can look at your garden and your magic and play with your toys later," Jellal assured him. "I'm sure that you have much to tell me, right? We can get to all of that tonight."

"I guess so," Kai sighed, turning to head off. "You don't wanna come, Erza?"

"No, I think Jellal and I would much rather keep one another company here."

"Alright." He followed along behind Ravan. "Can I bring my toys?"

"Not all of them."

"That's not fair, Ravan. I have to show them to Marin."

"Well, I ain't helpin' you carry them."

"Ravan-"

"No."

Once they'd disappeared through the living room and out the front door, Erza only glanced up at Jellal.

"I suppose Ravan isn't all bad," she said slowly as he only grinned. "And don't you just have impeccable timing."

"Well, I did not mean to interrupt such a family matter-"

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

"Not for a long time."

Grinning, she took a step back then, glancing down at his duffel bag. "And if you bought them things, I suppose there is something in there for me, yes?"

"Am I not enough these days, Erza? I did leave my team behind, in another town, just to spend the day with you," he pointed out. "To want more is almost selfish."

"Almost," she agreed. "But as it is-"

"Perhaps I picked you up  _something_ ," he sighed, kicking at the bag. "Or perhaps I have yet to get it."

"Meaning?"

"We might be forced to make trip out to the bakery at some point today, to pick it up."

Grinning, she moved to hug him again. Her mind still had traces of the boys and her talk lingering in it, but just being around Jellal was dissolving that.

And fast.

"Later," she told him. And, as he leaned down, he spoke before he kissed her.

"Much."

 


End file.
